Cheapfake vs. Deepfake: What’s the Difference?
Don’t be so shallow.
There’s a lot of confusion over what’s what and what is a Deepfake vs. a Shallowfake or Cheapfake? The last thing we want to do is to add more ambiguity. But, there are some key differences. At Breacher.ai we use a little of both, Deepfake and Shallowfake in our simulations. Let’s put the confusing jargon aside and explain the difference.
Shallow Fake:
Definition: Shallow fakes, also known as cheap fakes, are manipulations of media that do not rely on sophisticated technology or artificial intelligence. They typically involve simple edits to audio, video, or images using basic software tools.
Techniques:
- Speed Manipulation: Changing the speed of a video to alter the perceived context or meaning.
- Cutting and Splicing: Editing out or rearranging parts of audio or video to create a misleading narrative.
- Recontextualization: Using footage or images out of context to mislead viewers.
- Simple Overlays: Adding text, images, or audio overlays to existing media to create a false impression.
Characteristics:
- Easily detectable with basic analysis or common sense.
- Requires minimal technical skill and resources.
- Often relies on the viewer’s preconceived notions or lack of context.
Deepfake:
Definition: Deepfakes are highly sophisticated and realistic manipulations of audio, video, or images created using artificial intelligence and deep learning techniques. They can convincingly alter the appearance, voice, or actions of individuals.
Techniques:
- Face Swapping: Using AI to superimpose one person’s face onto another’s body in a video.
- Voice Synthesis: Creating synthetic audio that mimics a person’s voice using AI.
- Motion Transfer: Replicating the movements and expressions of a person onto another individual’s face or body in a video.
- Image Synthesis: Generating realistic images from scratch or altering existing images with high precision.
Characteristics:
- Highly realistic and difficult to detect without advanced forensic tools.
- Requires significant technical expertise and computational resources.
- Often used for malicious purposes, such as misinformation, impersonation, or creating non-consensual explicit content.
Key Differences:
- Complexity: Shallow fakes are simple edits, while deepfakes involve advanced AI and deep learning techniques.
- Detection: Shallow fakes are easier to identify, whereas deepfakes often require sophisticated tools to detect.
- Creation: Shallow fakes can be made by anyone with basic editing skills, while deepfakes require technical expertise and resources.
- Impact: Deepfakes pose a higher risk due to their convincing nature and potential for misuse in various contexts, including politics, entertainment, and personal privacy.
Understanding these differences is crucial in addressing the challenges posed by manipulated media in today’s digital landscape.
